


Puppy Play

by Mythical-Ross (ScorchedAngel)



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Crack, Dogs, Fluff and Crack, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Other, castration (mentioned), dog au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:54:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25048729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScorchedAngel/pseuds/Mythical-Ross
Summary: Spaniel Rhett is excited when his best friend Link comes over to play, but he has something serious to discuss.Rhett and Link are literal dogs in this. Okay? Okay.
Relationships: Rhett McLaughlin & Link Neal, Rhett McLaughlin/Link Neal
Comments: 9
Kudos: 32





	Puppy Play

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a silly antidote to some of the world’s seriousness. Pretend to be a puppy for a while! It’ll make you feel better.

Rhett trotted around the yard expectantly. His master had picked him up earlier and excitedly said a bunch of words Rhett didn’t understand, except for one: Link. 

Link was his best friend (though he’d never tell his master that) - a black and brown terrier that Rhett had known his whole life. They could spend hours together, running around the garden, playing on the beach, curled up together in front of the fake electric fire in Rhett’s living room. Every time Link went home, all Rhett could think about what the next time he’d be back.

He paced back and forth at the gate to the driveway, patiently waiting for the sound of Link’s master’s car. When he heard a car coming down the street he immediately started shouting for Link. “Link! Link! Link!” But the car kept driving, it wasn’t the right car.

“Rhett!” his master shouted through the kitchen window, followed by some more words he didn’t understand. He knew he was in trouble from the tone of her voice though. He wasn’t supposed to bark at cars. He curled up and laid down beside the gate guiltily, hoping she wouldn’t stay mad for long.

He immediately forgot why he was feeling guilty as soon as he heard another car coming down the street. “Link! Link! Link!” Rhett shouted through the fence, and to his relief, the car pulled into the driveway. 

Their owners were talking just a few feet away from him, but he couldn’t hear Link. Just then, a car door opened and there came sound of another dog hopping out.

“Link?” he asked through the fence.

“Rhett!” came Link’s reply. Link hopped up against the gate so he could see Rhett through the slats, panting with excitement.

Rhett could hear one of the humans say his name and before he knew it, the gate to the driveway was open and Link was barrelling towards him. Rhett could barely contain himself. They stopped just in front of each other and gave a little bow - the signal for play time.

Link snapped at Rhett’s snout, then immediately bolted across the garden. Rhett growled and took off after him, his curly ears flying out behind him as he gave chase. Link was fast, but Rhett had longer legs and caught up with him quickly. He tackled Link to the ground and bit at his neck.

“Okay, okay! You got me,” Link said happily, struggling slightly under Rhett’s teeth.

Without needing to say anything further, Rhett released him and took off towards the other end of the yard. It was Link’s turn to catch him. He jumped up onto the back porch and hid behind a row of potted plants, thinking maybe Link didn’t see him. 

Moments later however, he heard the scratch of Links nails on the stone and knew he’d been found. Link peered around the side of a pot and Rhett ran out the other side, as quickly as his legs would take him, back onto the grass.

Rhett lay down on his back in surrender before Link could reach him. Link caught up and sat down on the grass by his side.

“Something‘s different,” Link said curiously.

Rhett’s heart sank. He had hoped Link wouldn’t notice anything was wrong. Link sniffed the air for a moment before Rhett stood up, giving him better access to his true goal.

“What kind of different?” Rhett asked innocently, trying not to influence Link in any way. 

Link nosed his way under Rhett’s tail to get a good sniff at his butt. Rhett braced himself, hoping maybe the weird stuff he’d been feeling lately was just his imagination.

Link sat down and tilted his head in confusion. “It’s like something‘s missing,” he explained. “Has something happened?” 

Rhett knew he couldn’t just ignore his problems and hope they’d go away. That wasn’t the case when he piddled in the house behind the couch, it wasn’t true when he got excited and shredded one of his master’s handbags, and it wasn’t the case now. “You know the vet?” Rhett started.

“Yeah,” Link said, and growled in disgust.

“Well, they took me to see the vet and he injected me with something,” Rhett recalled. “Then the next thing I knew, was falling asleep.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad.”

“That wasn’t the bad part,” Rhett said. “When I woke up, I felt kinda funny…” 

“Funny how?” Link asked.

“I think they did something to my  _ parts,” _ Rhett said, turning his butt towards Link. “Can you check for me?”

Link did as he was asked and poked his nose under Rhett’s tummy. Rhett could feel him poking around in his long curly hair for a moment before he said, “oh my god!”

Rhett’s heart sank. “Is it bad?” 

Link’s head emerged, the whites of his eyes visible. “You balls are gone!”

“What?” Rhett barked. “Don’t I need those?” He  _ knew _ something felt different down there. Why would his master do that to him? 

“When you said you feel funny…” Link prompted.

“You know that fluffy pillow inside? The one I like to hump?”

“Yeah.”

“I haven’t wanted to hump it once!”

Link’s mouth fell open in surprise. “But you love that thing!”

“And you know how awesome it is to yell at other dogs when they walk past the house?” Rhett asked. “I did it yesterday and it just wasn’t as fun anymore.”

Link opened his mouth like he wanted to speak, but closed it again. He was probably worried the same thing might happen to him. 

Rhett laid down and rested his head on his paws. “Maybe they’ll grow back,” he said, not really believing it.

Link found a comfortable spot and joined Rhett in the grass. “Are you still gonna want to mount me?” he asked quietly. 

“I don’t know,” Rhett admitted. “You can still mount me though, if you want.” They lay in silence before Rhett asked the question that had been nagging him since his trip to the vet. “Link… have I been a bad boy?”

Link lifted his head in surprise. “Rhett, no!”

Rhett covered his snout with one of his big fluffy paws. “I can’t remember the last time my master called me a good dog,” he whined. “What if I was a bad dog and I didn’t even realize it?” 

“No Rhett,” Link said, getting up to stand in front of him. “You’re a good boy. You’re the best boy I know!” 

Rhett lifted his head, already feeling a little better. “Really?” 

“Yes,” Link said firmly. “Let me hear you say it.”

“I’m a good boy,” Rhett said.

“Louder!” Link barked.

Rhett hopped up onto his feet, suddenly having fun with his friend again. “I’m a good boy!” He shouted. 

Link opened his mouth into a big smile. “That’s better,” he said happily. “Now,” he said, glancing across the yard. “I bet I can get that tennis ball before you.”

Link took off in a dark flash over the grass. His problems almost forgotten, Rhett ran after him as fast as he could. Rhett was faster, but Link had a head start and reached the ball first. 

It barely fit in Link’s mouth, but he held it up triumphantly for Rhett to see. Rhett needed the ball back right away and leapt for it, knocking Link to the ground. They fell into a heap with their legs entangled, panting with excitement and the exertion, the ball already forgotten.

“You always know how to cheer me up,” Rhett said, happy to have his best friend by his side.


End file.
